Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was benched by the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday. The move sent shockwaves across the NFL even though Cousins had thrown just one touchdown pass and nine interceptions in his past five games because it opened the door for rookie Michael Penix Jr. to make his debut on Sunday.
But while the door for Cousins seems closed in Atlanta, another one could open. It’s a rumor that has been percolating for years and finally gives the NFL’s top love story its happy ending.
We’re not talking about Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. We’re talking about Kirk Cousins, Kyle Shanahan, and the San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has always had his eyes on former Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins
Shanahan’s experience with Cousins goes back to his days with the Washington Commanders and the 2012 NFL Draft. Shanahan’s father, Mike, was the head coach of the Commanders at the time and entered the draft with the idea of taking two quarterbacks.
Even though the Commanders traded three first-round picks to the St. Louis Rams to take Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick, Shanahan selected Cousins in the fourth round to the delight of his son, who recalled the story during a press conference in October 2023.
“We ended up taking Kirk, which I was pumped about because that’s who I wanted originally. Then to be able to get both of them. I know it was a weird situation for Kirk to go into a place where you know you’re not going to have that opportunity, but he just kind of sat there and soaked everything in and learned a lot.”
Shanahan spent two years with Cousins before becoming the offensive coordinator with the Browns in 2014 and the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 and 2016.
When Shanahan was hired as the 49ers' head coach in 2017, he offered the No. 2 overall pick to the Commanders in exchange for Cousins but was turned down, leading General Manager John Lynch to say Shanahan was “in mourning” over the decision.
Shanahan later attempted to trade the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft for Cousins. When that trade didn’t pan out, rumors flew that the Vikings could acquire Trey Lance, who was selected with that pick, in a trade involving Cousins but a deal never materialized.
Shanahan said he “moved on” from Cousins in 2023, but the door is potentially open for a reunion with Tuesday’s news. Cousins still has three years remaining on the four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed he signed with the Falcons last spring but he also has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power on any deal.
While the 49ers currently have Brock Purdy at quarterback, Purdy has career lows in completion percentage (65.0), touchdown percentage (3.9), and success rate (47.8 percent) this season. The 49ers could pay Purdy as he enters the final year of his rookie deal, but San Francisco is in a win-now window with $65.8 million in cap space next season.
Adding Cousins still leaves San Francisco $38.3 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap’s calculator, and gives Shanahan the veteran quarterback he’s always coveted.
While it seemed like a pipe dream back in September, it’s a possibility now that Cousins’s days in Atlanta are numbered and could finally have Shanahan and Cousins on the same sideline in 2025.